With the proliferation of social media, we are constantly inundated with images of seemingly flawless individuals, leading to a superficial culture where people are often judged based on appearances.
The world can be harsh for those who do not conform to society’s idea of perfection. People who deviate from the stereotypical “perfect” mold often face cruel criticism from strangers, particularly on social media.
Karine de Souza, a Brazilian woman, is all too familiar with this reality. Due to her rare skin condition, she has spent her life diligently applying SPF100 sunscreens even when indoors to protect her skin.
At the age of three, Karine de Souza was diagnosed with Xeroderma Pigmentosum, a condition that puts her at a heightened risk of developing skin cancer. Now 33 years old, she continues to face the challenges associated with this diagnosis.
Karine de Souza has an exceedingly rare and incurable condition, known as Xeroderma Pigmentosum, which makes her highly sensitive to UV rays. Her skin lacks the ability to repair sun-induced damage, resulting in severe sunburn even after just a few minutes of sun exposure.
This condition has forced her to endure painful experiences and be isolated from the outside world during her formative years, as spending extended time outdoors posed significant risks to her health.
“When I expose myself to the sun it doesn’t happen in the moment, I don’t feel anything. However, in the future, the lesions appear and need to be removed because of cancer,” she says.
Karine has endured over 130 surgeries to remove sun-induced lesions, including on her lower lip and part of her nose.
Regrettably, Karine not only faces physical challenges but also the emotional toll of being stared at, verbally abused, and subjected to online harassment due to her condition. Despite these hardships, Karine maintains a positive and joyful outlook on life.
In fact, she has even found true love. Through social media, she met Edmilson, her husband, who was captivated by her story and her resilience. Edmilson has been a steadfast source of support for Karine, standing by her side unwaveringly and committing to spend the rest of his life with her.
Furthermore, Edmilson wholeheartedly embraced Karine’s three children from her previous relationship, which held immense significance for her.
”He came and he showed me that I could live a true love story”, she says.
However, when she posted photos of them together online, she was once again subjected to hurtful and offensive comments.
”We have already read many offensive comments calling me a monster, deformed, a zombie,” Karine said, as per the Daily Mail.
Comments online falsely assumed that Karine was a wealthy “sugar mommy” and questioned the authenticity of her relationship with Edmilson.
”Because of the fact he’s a young man and pretty, that caught people’s attention and they didn’t believe that he was with me because he really liked me,” Karine said.
Karine aims to inspire others with the significance of maintaining a positive outlook on life.
”Be happy, smile, because life happens only once,” she said.
In 2023, Karine and Edmílson’s long-awaited dreams came true as they welcomed their baby girl, Zaia, into the world. After trying to conceive since 2020, they couldn’t be happier with their new addition to the family.